Venatio in Lumen
by The.Lady.Of.Many.Names
Summary: HIATUS. And so I kept her, seduced for so long, captive of a captive and imprisoned by stronger chains than her metal ones. Chains of flowers and feelings, lust, flattering, true companionship, admiration. Love, the ever powerful, ever violent love. But love becomes hate easily... and what humans say, about women scorned? Minamino/Kurama/Youko x OC. M rated, darkfic, adult content.


**A/N:** Hi there! First of all, some warnings:

1) It's a **M rated** fanfiction, for mature content, violence, language and… yeah… probably hentai. It's also a dark fic, so you can expect some angst and dirty things.

2) I'm a NES with no beta reader, so be kind and tell me if there's anything odd.

3) For the purposes of the story, Hatanaka Shuichi is the same age as Minamino Shuichi.

4) Also for the purposes of the story, I'll treat Shuichi/Kurama/Youko as THREE different psychological personas. And Youko will be bad.

5) To understand Faith/Kin/Arieru, just think Shuichi/Kurama/Youko. She's such a copycat…

6) I don't write simple. I can't write simple. But everything will get clearer as the story develops, IF you want me to continue writing and posting, of course :)

7) Be kind, always. I'm not forcing you to read anything.

8) But I'll be truly thankful if you enjoy reading this story! Let me know!

9) Yu Yu Hakusho's characters and universe don't belong to me, naturally.

10) But this story and its OCs do.

_Venatio in Lumen_ = Hunting into the Light.

* * *

"_A chain of iron is less difficult to break than a chain of flowers."_

- E.L.

**Centuries ago - Makai**

"Arieru-sama, your beast is longing to see you." The warrior solemnly announced from the door of her chamber, bowing. He should never question anything of his lady's affairs, but…

"Thank you, Haru." She answered with the same solemn tone, promptly rising.

…this was really strange.

"It is waiting for you at the…"

"I know exactly where my beast is, Haru." There were no changes in her serene and yet strong tone, but the warrior knew that her speech was a clear order for him to be quiet and not intrude. Otherwise, his life could cease as if it never existed. He wasn't the first Haru, wouldn't be the last; his life was in her hands and he was supposed to be glad about it.

But he couldn't accept what had been happening lately.

Arieru, the Lioness, firmly walked across the chamber until she eyed her own image reflected in polished metal. Her golden and ornate locks fell in a beautiful, but rather animalistic way over her tanned back and bare chest, ending up covering it with hair and jewelry. Her features were feline; eyes with slit-like silver irises, marked and framed by black lines drawn over and beyond her eyelids and others down her nose, Egyptian like. The lioness' ears could hear Haru's breath; the warrior still stood by the door, but she seemed not to care. Heavy necklace over her shoulders; heavy belt covering waist and hips - but letting her tail free -, bracelets all through her arms; and also her legs, from ankles to thighs, were wrapped in golden metal, under the ethereal and translucent fabric of a long skirt. She carefully analyzed herself.

Haru almost thought she could, perhaps, in a lapse of clarity, put on her metal mask, in the perfect shape of a fierce and demoniac lioness, the one she used to wear when dealing with strangers and inferior creatures, such as the beast. But instead of putting it, she took off her heavy belt. Arieru wasn't one to justify her actions, so silently she laid the belt over her bed before finally making her path to the door with her ever vigorous steps. Her skirt was floating more lightly know, from waist to feet, when she passed through the warrior, looking at him sideways. There was a veiled threat in her eyes.

"_Your last tolerable insolence was standing here, at the door of my chamber, when I had already dismissed you. Do not get in my way, Haru, I will not take any more from you."_ Her voice sounded, calmly and slowly, inside his head, while he watched her walking away.

And in her way stood no other, when she got down to the gardens; there were only a few demons and beasts in that place anyway, and the ones who served her, feared her enough to show up only when summoned. The opposite never happened before - no one ever summoned her. But eyes and mouths and ears were lurking and commenting, in the way they could to never get caught by their lady, about how odd was the fact that the beast Arieru had admitted to serve as a gardener was earning so much trust from her. It was true for a fact, since the beast arrived, the gardens of the Golden City had gain a whole new and wonderful life - something spectacular to behold in the midst of a desert. Seemed like the relics the Lioness used to make, in the shape of colorful, fragrant and perfect flowers and leaves; some demons, who were more sensitive, could cry in front of such beauties.

And all those jewelry in form of plants were for Arieru at her disposal - she didn't have to give them away to Reikai, like most of the sacred objects of metal and gemstone she made. It was obviously something she cherished.

However, it still couldn't explain why the lady always readily answered to that lower beast's wills. Its face, its body, everything about the beast contradicted the beauties it could create. Its appearance was repulsive, its smell was loathing, and even Haru hesitated to get close of that thing. Even the second most disgusting beast of the City couldn't bear look at it. And Arieru did always get lost for hours in the middle of the gardens with it. How could she stand it? How could she like it? How could it have gained an honor so high?

The servants whispered and Haru could feel that nothing good could come from that.

"My beast is longing to see me, they said." Arieru announced, loud and playful when she crossed a curtain of tiny little lilac flowers that formed the summit of a large tree at the middle of the garden, whose branches hung down to the floor, creating a perfect hideaway.

No one outside could see, hear or feel anything from the inside of those twigs.

Immediately he jumped from a higher, thicker branch, landing on one knee in front of her. He was far, way too far from looking like the beast he could assume the form, chewing his magical seeds to hide his identity. The most beautiful demon with long silver hair and fox ears and tail took her hand, gently kissing the back of it while still standing on one knee.

"But they are absolutely right, my lady. Your beast feels deeply honored for having its call attended." The golden and ever malicious eyes slowly rose to find her silver ones. They shone. Suddenly he stood, walking behind her, his sharp fingernails lightly brushing the back of her neck to remove the golden locks from the way to her skin. When his lips touched it, his arms wrapped her tight and Arieru closed her eyes, holding her breath for a second.

"Although your beast suffers from an everlasting desire to see you, my lady…" he continued, murmuring against her skin "and this is truly a very serious problem, see… it is killing me."

"Youko…" she whispered, lips drawing a smile on her flushed features. How many centuries had she lived, and not a soul could ever cause her to blush. No one ever made her feel that way; no one but him.

His hands left her waist to slide up through her back, feeling her toned skin under the tips of his fingers. They reached the heavy necklace over her shoulders, just to ably get rid of it. Then the same hands slide down her arms, dragging down all the bracelets that covered them with the movement. Everything so fast, so natural, that she could say he had the skills to completely undress her without giving her time to raise any objection.

"You do not need all those jewelry, Arieru, they get in the way of your beauty." He said, gently leading her to turn to him. His sharp nails once again brushed her neck, now to take her hair out of the vision of her large and firm bare breasts. "Not that they are not beautiful, but your beauty is much superior. It is you who provide them with your beauty, in fact, not the opposite…" Youko unleashed her skirt from her waist, letting the light fabric flow down on her body like water to the ground, finally releasing her shape. His eyes were uneasy, running from her figure to her silver irises. He was hungry. "Never the opposite."

"You are very gallant today." Her smile was unusually sweet when she slightly tilted her head and half-clenched her eyes, calmly analyzing him. "However…" Arieru slowly raised her hair on her hands, taking the locks away from the contact with her own skin with a feline languor. "It does not matter what you cause to my body, words will not gain my trust."

She didn't have to move to make all the jewelry Youko had dropped to the ground raise back to her body, but now assuming a different form, covering breasts, waist and hips like a metal garment; because she could also say she had the skills to dress up completely without giving him time to raise any objection. The fox demon chuckled, though assuming a deadly serious tone right after.

"How many days and nights have I courted you? How many words have I said; how many times did I have the honor to make you blush? How long have I lived here as your captive, and how much longer would I stay here, intoxicating myself to turn into a beast, just to be close to you? How many times did you dream about me, Arieru?" Youko half-clenched his eyes. "As many as I had dreamed about you, I suppose, and still you do not trust me. Very well…" He took her left hand in his. "Maybe this action can prove you my intentions."

She smirked in disbelief, but when she looked down at her own hand, her face took a whole different expression. It was still disbelief, but another kind of disbelief. First, she couldn't consider the possibility of him doing something so meaningful; then, she couldn't believe he actually _did_. On her finger, the most exuberant and powerful ring she had ever made. The first one, the one she cherished the most.

"This... this is not possible." She stuttered, bringing her hand closer to her sight, the ring shining in a way she knew very well and could distinguish no matter how long it passed. It was the legit one. How could he steal it? It was her creation, the one that hurt the most to give away to Reikai. It had fallen in the hands of thieves some decades ago, but alone they would never be able to use it in its full power. Then she understood. "You want me to tell you the right way to use the energy of it." It was an affirmation.

"No, Arieru." He denied, hardening his face because of her offensive assurance. Still he pulled her closer to him by her now protected waist, and lightly brushed the tips of his fingers on her cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes. "The ring is yours to whatever you want to do with it. Keep it to yourself, as I can feel how strongly you wish to do it, but if you very must, give it back to Reikai. I do not care. There is only one thing I want from you, and you know exactly what it is. I could have ran away from the Golden City by now carrying enough goods to build my own kingdom, you know it, and still the only thing valuable to me here, is you."

Why do his words cause that in her body, in her spirit, in her lioness' heart? Why couldn't she be indifferent, as she was with thousand demons who tried to court her before him? He was a legendary thief, certainly specialized in tricking anyone; so it didn't matter what she felt, or how delicious it was to be taken by his flirtatious flattery. Arieru never really gave herself to him, always keeping in mind the great deceiver he was. One day he would get tired and come with all his forces against her, and in that day, it would be easy to put an end to his life.

But then he put the most precious thing in her life right on her finger.

That ring was so special to her that she had never ever spoken a word about it to anyone. Absolutely anyone. She had made it in silence and in silence she gave it personally to Enma-Daioh-Sama. Somehow Youko had entered deep into her heart, the place where she hid her feelings and worries about the jewelry. That meant that if he had any doubts about how powerful the ring was, now he knew for sure. And he really didn't seem to care. He was right, in fact, in all that time he could have already turn against her, catch her on a trap or even gradually steal her so she wouldn't have notice, but the only crime he committed so far was looking at her deeply that way - the way he was looking now. And give her the most wonderful gardens. And the ring.

"This is getting serious, Youko." She said, trying to get rid of his grip, but not really striving.

"I have never played with you, Arieru. The whole time, I meant every word..." he pulled her stronger against him, not letting her go. "I want _you_..."

Her body relaxed in his arms when his lips caught hers and slowly moved, in a calm kiss first, before his tongue make way into her mouth. Then what came was something only two wild spirits could share, a kiss so intense that it made her moan, wishing nothing but more. But suddenly he stopped and freed her from his embrace.

"You may go now, if you very wish." He said, lowering his eyes. "I'll leave in the morrow, so I will not bother you anymore with my insolence. I am so very sorry for causing you trouble, Arieru."

"You better be." She agreed, little by little returning to her usual strong and serious tone, the tone she assumed in her lioness mask, dealing with everything as an empress. "Leave, Youko! Leave in the morrow, and do not dare to look back, I will not be able to stand your presence anymore after this!" Her eyes were two hard stones, but when she stepped closer, her hands reached his hair and led his lips back to hers. "Because I do not want to leave by now..." she said, almost as a purr before kissing him again.

And her metal clothes fell in the ground at once, becoming beautiful golden roses.

How delicious she was... after all this time, he should guarantee she would completely lost her sense of time, the sense of how many morrows he could live inside her, feeding her, eating her, resting on her breasts but never leaving her body. Arieru was _his_. He had restrained his impulses for so long, and now she was his.

_Everything_ was his.

And Youko would leave in the morrow of the day she could separate her body from his to turn back to her golden life. Though he wasn't sure about how golden it would be after him.

Because he would leave to _never_ look back.

**Years ago - Ningenkai**

On the first day she screamed. There weren't just simple screams, there weren't something she could forget, and if anyone perchance could hear them, they would sound in their minds for a long time, never to get out of it. Kin screamed as if she wanted to put her soul out of her body through the noise. She was grateful, at least, for being miles away from civilization - she didn't want to involve anyone; despite admitting those who were already involved, they were more than enough for her to feel ashamed. And they would never hear her scream.

Nevermore.

And Kin screamed until her throat got numb and the act of screaming didn't hurt anymore. But her body still did. She was feeling less than human; she was feeling disgusting, something miserable, damnable, pitiful. And that made her feel anger. She wasn't _that_. That's why she fought to stand up, even if it was still the first day and it was still lacerating underneath her skin to nestle in her flesh. And it was still so awfully heavy. And all her wounds were still open and bleeding. The girl screamed and fought against the pain, but all she could get was standing on fours for a few seconds before the weight pull her down to the floor again. The impact made her cry again from genuine ache. Tears ran down, saliva ran down, sweat and blood ran down, and she couldn't stop any of them. Any.

Kin was powerless on the first day. And she was happy for passing through it alone.

On the second day she woke up dry. There were no scream, no tear, no saliva nor sweat, and blood was something brown that held her to the floor and turned into dust when she tried to move. But it hurt. And hurt more than the day before, because she couldn't scream. She was able to howl, to groan, deep in her throat, but not too loud. She was pathetically whining. Kin tried to stretch her arm, to lean on something or crawl, but her body didn't obey her completely. It was rigid, it didn't seem to be yours anymore, it was a body that was receiving another body inside, a body she should conquer. Another body for her to get used to. A metal body under her skin. She yearned deep to be able to stand, walk, jump, dance, do whatever she wants. She yearned and couldn't do what she used to do when yearning so much - kick, punch, stick hammer and fire inside gold or silver. No. Kin could only whine.

On the third day, she got able to crawl, and so she did to get to the wall where she could lean on and sit by the timid sunlight that entered through a slot in the curtains. There she could analyze her work, through the stains of dry blood. Legs and thighs, flanks, chest carefully, arms. It was so beautiful. It weighed, it ached, it seemed to be capable to kill her human body gradually if she didn't use her youki, but it was beautiful. Almost as much as her ring.

To protect that fragile human body, on the fourth day she started to manifest her youki again, and so everything seemed to fit a little better in her flesh.

On the fifth day she managed to stumbling walk, swallow some water, some cold and nasty food. On the sixth day she felt her skin a little less swollen. On the seventh day she could take a bath and finally, truly get some rest on a bed. Eighth day, and her whole body began to itch. In the ninth and tenth days, Kin cried to try to contain the primary, visceral and dumb impulse to scratch the skin and open it again. How stupid human instincts were.

Until the twenty-first day she learned to walk more firmly again. Fighting against the weight, she moved her body until she felt every inch of the Makai's metals and gemstones were now part of herself, under her control. Kin was no longer so weak. She cleaned up every trace of what happened in the abandoned house; only her body were now forever marked. The strange armor under her skin formed colorful drawings that could be seen through it, richly designed leaves and flowers and the most exquisite plants that shone as she manipulated her youki. Perfection.

On the twenty-second day, she came back home.

"Dad? Masami-san? Is there anybody home?" She called when she opened the door, carelessly throwing her heavy backpack at the floor and taking off her boots.

"Faith-chan is home!" She could hear Masami say to Mike, she seemed excited to have her back. And so seemed to be Mike, because he came running to the door and inadvertently grabbed her in his arms.

"Plump is finally back! Missed you..." he said, suddenly loosening his grip. "Gee, Faith... you really got plump, you know. Bet you've been eating and sleeping all day!" He laughed.

She laughed with him, in relief. Indeed, her body gained some extra pounds, but it kept almost the same shape and was also a little harder. Thankfully he didn't suspect anything more than gluttony and laziness. Human men were so simple minded.

"Give me a break, dad, I was in vacations, course I ate everything I could! And you know I'll work it out 'till we move to Japan!" She stuck her tongue out at him as a typical teenager and turned her attention to his wife, Masami, who was quietly laughing behind him.

"How was your trip, Faith-chan?" She asked, giving her stepdaughter a hug.

"It was awesome!" She started, and would go on all night bragging about the awesomeness of places she never went and people she never met. Kin was sunshine in their lives, always happy, always smiling, always travelling and telling wonderful histories in her exaggerated manners that made them laugh.

The darkness of her spirit she kept to herself. It was no one's business but hers. And all the bitterness, all the anger, the ache, everything so powerful though so negative and obscure she could feel, she saved for the fox only. Underneath her dark clothes, the flowers shone as a constant reminder. Soon Mike would scold her for getting such "inks" all over her body. She would laugh, as if she had never screamed for them.

Because no scream were louder than the roars she roared in the morrow of the day she could separate her body from his and leave him there, underneath their tree, to never look back.


End file.
